I was not impresssed with the 3D in Avatar.

Gold Member

I just finished seeing it a short while ago at an AMC theater. I was expecting things to pop out of the screen an appear to be floating in front of you. I guess I was spoiled because Disney World in Orlando has had real good 3D technology for a long time. The kind that makes you want to reach up for things because it feels that you can touch them. The movie was decent but too long, and the 3D aspects were disappointing.

They also never explained why they need the Absurdium mineral or what it did. I forget what they called it, but it was a stupid name. Many plot holes too.

I just finished seeing it a short while ago at an AMC theater. I was expecting things to pop out of the screen an appear to be floating in front of you. I guess I was spoiled because Disney World in Orlando has had real good 3D technology for a long time. The kind that makes you want to reach up for things because it feels that you can touch them. The movie was decent but too long, and the 3D aspects were disappointing.

They also never explained why they need the Absurdium mineral or what it did. I forget what they called it, but it was a stupid name. Many plot holes too.

Gold Member

I just saw avatar in 3-D. I had heard and read a lot about the plot and how it simply rehashes old stereotypes. In this case, The White Messiah. That, in my opinion just points out how limited we are with subject matter.

On the other hand, the special effects were spectacular. The flying horses and illuminated dandelions could not have appeared more real. They also did not resort to cheap 3-D tricks. It was used to create a wonderful overall effect.

I also loved the absurdity of this super valuable mineral, "Unobtanium." What a joke.

Gold Member

I just saw avatar in 3-D. I had heard and read a lot about the plot and how it simply rehashes old stereotypes. In this case, The White Messiah. That, in my opinion just points out how limited we are with subject matter.

On the other hand, the special effects were spectacular. The flying horses and illuminated dandelions could not have appeared more real. They also did not resort to cheap 3-D tricks. It was used to create a wonderful overall effect.

I also loved the absurdity of this super valuable mineral, "Unobtanium." What a joke.

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SNAP! I was so gonna say pretty much the same thing.

The White Messiah issue didn't really bug me; I expected that it was going to be a fairly standard story. My comment on that, though, is that if you believe that mythological concepts are sort of limited in number, than it's ok to see them retold over and over again. If I wanted to have a less-than cathartic, satisfying epic movie experience, I'd watch a French film and be pissed off that it ended in mid-sentence... Oh wait, there ARE no epic French films! LOL (btw, I'm just stirring folks...)

The name of the mineral Unobtainium fucking cracked me up!! However, imagine a strong, metallic substance that would in essence be lighter than air used as a building material for machines, buildings, etc... If it truly existed, it would mean energy consumption would be dropped to almost nothing... I also loved the fact that it was just thrown into the 'mix' of the film for us to figure out it's significance; you can't very well get pissed off at a film for giving us a little less narrative and in the same breath say something wasn't explained well enough. I LOVE not knowing what's going on and using my brain to figure it out with the clues, etc provided.

My partner and I saw Avatar in 2D first because EVERY other 3D film I've had the misfortune to see in the past just gave me a fucking headache, the colors were bad, seemed out of focus, and I was bored by shit 'flying or floating' out of the screen at me.

But I enjoyed it so much I decided to give the 3D a go on Boxing Day (Day after Christmas for my USA brothers/sisters) and was blown away by the subtlety that JCameron chose to go for. Rather than going for the 'boo factor', he let the 3D technology give a depth to the screen that can't be experienced with a 2D.

Unobtanium is nothing new, its a name given to any rare material which is desired. It's meant to be a kitsch-y name.

I loved the 3D, I was glad they didn't play tricks with the audience by having things flying at the screen the whole time, it becomes tiresome - Friday 13th Part 3(D) this aint! Disney use the old style 3D at their theme parks, it has a different feeling than the new digital 3D. That being said however, it did give me a headache.

I liked the 3D a lot too. Glad they didn't overused it because it is a three hour movie, it would be exhausting to watch it.
It were the little things they did in 3D that mattered, like flies that were flying in front of your face just like you were in that forrest too. I don't want to move my head the whole time in a three hour movie because you think something will hit your face...

VerifiedGold Member

I don't think the mineral was lighter than air hellboy, I think that device just made it float. As evidenced by the fact that he was flicking and making it spin. If it were just lighter than air (and perfectly buoyant), it would've went down due to the force, but instead it just spun because of the force the device it was over exerts. So they leave no clues what is so special about. I suppose that is the point though, we'll want it and destroy people to get it, no matter what it is.

I agree with you on the 3d, I liked it. I was impressed by it. I have never been to any Disney land so I can't say how great theirs is. I wasn't very impressed with Pandora though, the plants and the wildlife didn't do anything for me. Floating mountains? Whoop de fuck.

Gold Member

I don't think the mineral was lighter than air hellboy, I think that device just made it float. As evidenced by the fact that he was flicking and making it spin. If it were just lighter than air (and perfectly buoyant), it would've went down due to the force, but instead it just spun because of the force the device it was over exerts. So they leave no clues what is so special about. I suppose that is the point though, we'll want it and destroy people to get it, no matter what it is.

I agree with you on the 3d, I liked it. I was impressed by it. I have never been to any Disney land so I can't say how great theirs is. I wasn't very impressed with Pandora though, the plants and the wildlife didn't do anything for me. Floating mountains? Whoop de fuck.

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It does make a little sense now that the floating mountains have absurdium under them, therefore making them float, but I would have rather them explain why it was so valuable. I never got that it had lighter than air properties. At least it should have been called Pandium because it was found on Pandora.

I just finished seeing it a short while ago at an AMC theater. I was expecting things to pop out of the screen an appear to be floating in front of you. I guess I was spoiled because Disney World in Orlando has had real good 3D technology for a long time. The kind that makes you want to reach up for things because it feels that you can touch them. The movie was decent but too long, and the 3D aspects were disappointing.

They also never explained why they need the Absurdium mineral or what it did. I forget what they called it, but it was a stupid name. Many plot holes too.

Found it online it's called Unobtanium.

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I disagree. No, the movie wasn't perfect.......as none are.......but it was fairly good and kept me interested. Which is not the norm any more for movie. There are a few......just a few......movies that raise the bar and set a new standard for special effects. "Star Wars", "American Wierwolf in London", and......."Avatar"

Also, if anyone waits for the movie to come out on DVD or bluray, they will be very disappointed. So much of this movie is being engulfed in the majesty of the effects on the big screen.

VerifiedGold Member

Well there are stereoscopic TVs dougie. In fact Gran Turismo 5 will be able to be played in 3d on those TVs I believe. I've heard they actually produce a pretty good 3d effect, but I've never experienced it.

Gold Member

I disagree. No, the movie wasn't perfect.......as none are.......but it was fairly good and kept me interested. Which is not the norm any more for movie. There are a few......just a few......movies that raise the bar and set a new standard for special effects. "Star Wars", "American Wierwolf in London", and......."Avatar"

Also, if anyone waits for the movie to come out on DVD or bluray, they will be very disappointed. So much of this movie is being engulfed in the majesty of the effects on the big screen.

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Movies should be about story and the visual images should enhance it. You make the point that it's mostly glitz by saying that the DVD and Bluray will be disappointing.

Overall I enjoyed the movie, but it was too long. I was bored at times, especially the long dinobird paragliding scene. If you are going to do 3D I want to be wowed by it and it was barely better quality than a regular movie.

VerifiedGold Member

It does make a little sense now that the floating mountains have absurdium under them, therefore making them float, but I would have rather them explain why it was so valuable. I never got that it had lighter than air properties. At least it should have been called Pandium because it was found on Pandora.

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But the mountains didn't have the unobtainium in them.. It was some kind of flux or something that made them float. If they had the stuff in them, why would the not be mining it? the largest deposit of it was under the giant tree, why wasn't that floating then? There was absolutely zero mining going on in the floating mountains, there was no unobtainium there.

Gold Member

But the mountains didn't have the unobtainium in them.. It was some kind of flux or something that made them float. If they had the stuff in them, why would the not be mining it? the largest deposit of it was under the giant tree, why wasn't that floating then? There was absolutely zero mining going on in the floating mountains, there was no unobtainium there.

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Exactly. The movie made no sense and you can't even think of a theory to explain it. I am disappointed that Cameron in the end made a dumb comic book movie with great visuals.

VerifiedGold Member

Exactly. The movie made no sense and you can't even think of a theory to explain it. I am disappointed that Cameron in the end made a dumb comic book movie with great visuals.

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I agree, he just let a lot of things flap in the wind. The waterfalls of the floating mountains that flame pointed out is another good example, Gillette gave a good theory, but I don't ever remember them explaining it. The electrical network that everyone seems to use on the planet isn't given much time. The more you think about this movie the more you realize how uninteresting it is. Of course I already realized that from the beginning, all it is is pretty to look at.

Gold Member

I agree, he just let a lot of things flap in the wind. The waterfalls of the floating mountains that flame pointed out is another good example, Gillette gave a good theory, but I don't ever remember them explaining it. The electrical network that everyone seems to use on the planet isn't given much time. The more you think about this movie the more you realize how uninteresting it is. Of course I already realized that from the beginning, all it is is pretty to look at.

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It did have some story, a beginning, middle and end, but many plot holes in the middle. What I did like was how she first trusted him in the forest when they met. I also liked how he escaped the dinosaur that was chasing him, I was expecting them to go the standard route of a bigger dinosaur eating the one that was chasing him.

I didn't notice that the floating mountains were connected to each other at all.

What I didn't like was that the Avatars were supposed to be human and alien hybrids but they looked pretty much like all the other aliens.

Gold Member

My suggestion was just a wing at comedy. We don't even know everything about our own real planet yet, why on earth would one expect to have every detail explained regarding the biology and geology of a fictional one? A little suspension of disbelief, please.

If you're going to get into a version of, "Does Superman's ability to fly come from his strength or anti-gravity?", you might as well ask why the myriad species of all those systems in a galaxy long, long ago and far, far away just happened to pick English as their lingua franca. Just our luck, eh?